Building a Kingdom and Conquering the World C.133 The East and West - II

On the next day, accompanied by a troop of about twenty cavalry, fifty infantry and two scribes, Henry mounted on his horse and treaded on the White Merchant Road, his first destination being the Eastern side of the kingdom. He was determined on building a solid foundation for his kingdom, one which he had been postponing for the last few years while preparing himself for the war against Aritreia and Luak. Because of that, the army was the first one to begin its remodeling in order to fight for food and against the invaders of the land.

The horse moved steadily, causing Henry to sway with each step - "Aritreia and Luak have suffered significant losses, particularly Aritreia, which lost its king and at least eighty percent of its nobles. This situation gives me the opportunity to stabilize and develop the kingdom before taking action" - Henry reflected, his gaze fixed on the seemingly endless road ahead, winding like a river through a dense forest in search of the sea.

Lost in his own thoughts, Henry failed to notice Leier subtly urging her horse closer, positioning herself beside him - "My liege, according to one of the infantrymen, we are nearing Salveng Village, home to approximately a thousand residents" - she informed him.

Henry nodded in acknowledgment, his gaze looking at Leier, observing the powder still trying to conceal the burn mark. Honoring his promise, he refrained from saying anything further about that, simply replying - "Good." - before lapsing into his own thoughts once more.

A few minutes later, with a distant tone, as thought merely voicing out his thoughts to the air, he said - "Leier, what have I done thus far to these lands? Have I truly improved our kingdom? Have I truly helped my people?" - his eyes seemed to be lost.

Leier took a brief glance at her king, noticing that he was looking ahead and returned her eyes to the road - "Your majesty have provided opportunities for the people to rise in by establishing the Commander's Training Center. The Royal Library has allowed them to gain knowledge, while the schools you established, staffed with royal teachers, have given the people a chance to change" - she replied with pride evident in her face, turning to face Henry - "Indeed, your rule have completely changed the lives of those under your rule."

Henry pondered in silence, acknowledging that his actions had indeed been good despite a certain lack of time, his eyes brightening slightly.

"If I may, my liege, I have a question" - Leier interjected, prompting Henry to nod in permission - "Why didn't we seize the lands of the invaders? Despite our losses, I believe we possessed the strength to conquer them and bring them under your rule."

Turning to her with a grin, Henry raised a finger - "A valid and interesting question"- he began - "There are several reasons, but the main one lies in the current limitation of my throne. Even if I conquered those lands successfully, we lack the capacity to manage them effectively. It would burden us and impair our ability to defend our borders due to insufficient personnel. We don't have enough soldiers to guarantee the loyalty and suppress the first wave of discontentment."

Henry sighed, recalling an old saying from Earth - "A tree needs sturdy roots to grow tall. I must strengthen our foundations before aspiring to expand my lands and the people under my throne."

Though he felt tempted to raise his banner over those lands, Henry understood that there was a need for caution and prudence. Numerous examples of such an imprudent action flashed through his mind, such as the Mongol Empire, whose downfall was hastened by unchecked territorial expansion. The Mongol Empire's territory stretched from East Asia to Eastern Europe, encompassing diverse cultures, languages, and ecosystems. These vast borders created obstacles for communication, coordination, and logistics, making it difficult for the Mongolians to respond swiftly to invaders and enforce their laws. Coupled with their decentralized power system, the distance also greatly diluted Genghis Khan's authority and control.

The Mongolian Empire shattered a mere 156 years after its founding in 1206, with Genghis Khan's successors expanding the empire even further. However, due to their failure to develop administrative and infrastructure systems at the same speed as their conquests, they ultimately met ruin. While Henry recognized this as one of many reasons for the empire's demise, it remained a significant factor that he couldn't ignore and had to keep his eyes on. A tree couldn't grow faster than its roots spread through the earth.

"A tree needs sturdy roots to grow tall" - Leier echoed, repeating those words and nodding in agreement, her remaining eye flickering with respect and interest - "A wise saying, my king."

Henry smiled in response - "Indeed. Now, what do you believe we require to strengthen our roots and foster growth?" - he inquired, waiting for Leier response, but could only see confusion in her eyes.

""The first thing and one of the objectives that I want to achieve with this trip is to see how to develop our transportation infrastructure…and solve our food issue" - Henry responded, filling the silence.

"Why?" - Leier asked, showing that she didn't understand how the infrastructure could help the kingdom to develop its roots and grow. Henry paused for a moment, considering Leier's question. He realized that not everyone might understand the intricate connections between infrastructure and the growth of a kingdom's power and stability.

With a patient voice, Henry took one of his hands off the horse's reins and pointed to the road stretching ahead of them - "The White Merchant Road is a great example of the utility and necessity of this infrastructure. These roads are like the veins of Stahl through which commerce, communication, and military power flow, enabling my throne to command everything. That's why I ordered Olaro and the others to clean this up and reopen these roads."

He looked at her face and noticed that confusion still lingered in her eye. Henry tried to come up with an analogy that would make it easier to understand - "Imagine our kingdom as a body and the White Merchant Road as our magic circuits. Without developing our transportation roads, it's like having our Mana unable to leave our hearts, clogging everything. In the end, goods cannot flow, communication is slow, and our soldiers cannot move swiftly to defend the borders, leading to a rapid corrosion of my power."

Leier nodded, finally understanding the meaning behind the king's words - "If we invest in and develop the White Merchant Road, we can connect all cities and villages, making it easy to move around. Knowledge will flow, and commerce will flourish, bringing revenue into the royal treasury to fund new projects" - Henry concluded, his gaze locked on Leier, who seemed to be lost in thought, but with more understanding.

After hours of silent travel, a small village finally came into view, its residents welcoming them with reverence as they knelt before Henry's banner, signaling their respect and allegiance.